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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • lotto@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "heritage lottery lotto" <info-heritage-lotto2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: info-heritage-lotto@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 14:43:42 +0100
Subject: HERITAGE LOTTERY UK

 

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
HERITAGE LOTTERY UK INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
DUBLIN - REPUBLIC OF IRELAND,
 REF: CNL/5567890/05
 BATCH: 08/0048/Y05

AWARD / FINAL NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement
today, of winners of the HERITAGE LOTTERY UK
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on 11th day of  October, 2005.

You are attached to ticket number 09-11-21-39-40-46;
with bonus number 35 drew the lucky numbers 923, and
consequently won the lottery in the 4th category. You
have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of
£565,250.00(Five hundred and sixty Five Thousand Two hundred and Fifty British pounds sterling) in cash
credited to file REF NO. CNL/5567890/05. This is from
a total prize money of £3,956,750(Three million Nine hundred
and Fitfy six thousand Seven hundred and Fifty British
pounds starling) shared among the seven international
winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Australia,
New Zealand, America, Europe, North America, Africa
and Asia as part of International Promotions Program,
which is conducted annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Your fund is now deposited with the payment board in
your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and
names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from
public notice until your claim has been processed and
your funds ready for collection. This is part of our
security protocol to avoid double claiming or
unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We
hope with a part of your prize, you will participate
in our end of year high stakes of £1,300,000,000(one
billion three hundred million British pounds sterling)
International Lottery.

To begin your claims/due processing and remittance
of your prize money, please contact our claims Department
immediately quoting your winning number 09-11-21-39-40-46
and reference number CNL/5567890/05 respectively.

CONTACT:

ATTENTION:
NAME: MR. GREGORY WINTERS (Claim Agent)
Email:info-heritage-lotto@hotmail.com

And please provide the following information needed
to process your winning claims.

(a) Your full Name and Address.
(b) Your Telephone and fax numbers
(c) Your tax I.D.Number (if any).
(d) Your country of origin/Occupation

Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later
than two weeks from the date of contact from this office
after which all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please always remember to quote your
winning and reference numbers in every of your
correspondence as regards your claim. And
should there be any change of your address, do inform
your claims agent as soon as possible. And further
more, any participant below 18 years of age will be
automatically disqualified by this office.

Congratulations once again from all our staff.

Sincerely,
Susan Anderson
(THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, HERITAGE LOTTERY)

 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam